Repair Alarm Breakdowns

Repair Alarm Breakdowns

Intruder and fire alarms are an essential component of our everyday safety in the home and workplace. These alarms give early warning of problems, whether from an unwelcome visitor or from smoke; they have also saved countless lives. Modern alarms vary from basic sensors to smart alarms that can relay messages to smartphones and tablets.

In shared accommodation or flats, alarm breakdowns can be troublesome because you’re at the mercy of the landlord or management company.  If an alarm sounds for days, it can be draining for you and your family, and it could also interrupt your sleep. Here’s how to deal with a false alarm.

Understanding the Type of Alarm

In large buildings, a fire alarm can automatically call the fire brigade. Likewise, a modern intruder alarm might be continuously monitored so that the police can be summoned quickly. Often, monitoring takes place remotely, so you may never know that there’s someone keeping an eye on your accommodation.

If the fire alarm or police have been automatically called, alert the landlord or management company. Don’t dial 999 as you may block a genuine call from getting through to the emergency services.

If the alarm isn’t connected to a monitoring service, it may still have placed a call to the emergency services or the building owner.

Resetting the Alarm

All alarm systems have a reset code to switch off the siren and reset the system. You might not know exactly how to enter the code, but you should be able to make an educated guess. You should obtain the reset code from the manager of your building and enter it to reset the system. If you have no idea what the code is, it might be worth trying 0123, 9999 or 0000.

If you can’t get hold of the manager and the alarm has been sounding for a long time, you could attempt to reset the alarm to its default values to shut it off. There are two ways to achieve this: using an installer’s code, or by removing a panel on the alarm and using a jumper to.

Note that the second option will reset everything in the alarm system, including the master code, and the building owner may not be best pleased about that.

The Best Option

The final, and better, option is to call Angel Security and ask for an alarm technician to take a look. Tampering with an alarm is a serious matter, and we would never recommend that you take risks. After all, if the management company is unhappy with what you’ve done, you might be charged for the cost of a repair or alarm reset.

Angel Security regularly services alarms to ensure they won’t go off without good cause. If you need technicians to test your system and ensure it’s functional, don’t hesitate to call us today. If you live in flats or in shared accommodation, pass on our details to your management company before it’s too late.

To receive a free quote for alarm maintenance or the install of a brand new burglar alarm in Banstead, contact us today.